Fence-machine.



No. 875.185. PATENTED DEC. 3 1, 1907.

R. KIRKWOOD 5; J. W. KI-MBERLING. FENCE MACHINE.

- APPLIOATION FILED JULY 24, 1907.

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A TTORZVE VS UNITED STATES P rnNroEn-Ion ROBERT KIRKWOOD AND JOHNKIMBERLING, OF' MORAN, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS, BY 1 DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO LEWIS A. SHEETS, OF MIGHI: GANTOWN,INDIANA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM J. NEES, OF MORAN, INDIANA. I I

FENCE-MACHINE.

Ira-875,185.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed July 24. 1907.- Serial No. 385.363. 7 v

.To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known-that we, RoBnn'r KIRKWOOD and JOHN W. KIMBE LING, citizensof the United States, residing at Moran, in the county of Clinton, Stateof Indiana, have invented a new and useful Fence-Machine,-

of which the following is a specification.

ThlS invention relates to fence stretching machines, and has for itsprincipal object to provide a fence stretcher of very simple andeconomical construction by which a wire fence may be drawn as taut asd'esired, and

which may be readilyshifted from-place to place during or after theerection of the fence.

'A- further object of the invention is to provide a device of this typein which the fence may be adjusted for the pur oseof exerting I of thefence.v A still further object of the invention is to provide a verysimple and effective form of ence clamp in which the, clamping forceexerted is in proportion to the 'tensional strain exerted during thestretching operation. With these and other objects in view, as will morefully hereinafter appear, the invention consists inqcertain novelfeatures of inafter fully describe construction and arran ement ofparts,.hered, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,- andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat various changes in the form,

propor tions,"'size and minor details of the structure may bemadewithout departing from the s int or sacrificing any of theadvantages o the invention. i

. In. theaccompanying draWings:Figure' 1 is a perspectiveview ofa fencestretchingmachine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2is a sectional plan view through the fence clamps, the ;latter beingshownin open position. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view showing thegearing and chain winding mechanism.

Similar numerals of reference are em-- ployed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings. The clam includesa pair of angle bars I '10, one of w ich carries a series of books 1.1.

and .the other aseries of .eye 12, these forming a hingedjoint ofsuchnature as to permit ready couplin and uncoupling.

Pro'ectm om the angle. bars are two A sets 0 brae e'ts 13-that arearranged for the reception of hooks '14, these being arranged turned 'orthe purpose of winding chain 18 and drawing the clamps 10 in the througat the ends of chain sections 15 and connected thereto by suitable turnbuckles 16'. It will be noted that the'brackets 13 are rigidly securedtothe angle bars and project a considerable distance beyond the rear edgesof said bars so that, they may beconveniently used as handles in theclosing of the clampmembers on the fence; The adjacent ends of thechains 15 are connected by a rin 17 to which is, also, connected I astretc g chain 18 the latter passing over a chain drum 19 which may beturned for the purpose of winding up the chain 18.

.At a short distance from the clamps is arranged a frame comprising apair of parallel posts 20 connected together by upper and lower blocks21 and arranged to rest on a suitable sill plate 22. These posts, whichconstitute the draft frame, are held from movement inthe direction ofthe clamp by spacing bars 25 .that rest at one end against 13 e fencepost a, and at the 0 posite end against the posts or the spacer b ocks21.

" The draft frame is provided with bearings I for the reception of ashort transverse shaft 27 to which the winding drum 19 is secured. Thisshaft, also, carries a worm wheel 28 that is enga ed by a worm29, thelatter being carried a worm shaft 30 that is j ournaled in suitab ebrackets 31 that extend between and serve as additional connections forthe posts 20. At the rear end. of the worm shaft is an .0 crating crank32 which may be up the direction of the draft frame.

In operation, the-clamping bars, separated from each other, are placedon o pos1te sides of the fence to be stretched an their'hooks and e esare then connected together the fence. The brackets 18 are then graspedand used as'handles in the preliminary folding. of the angle bars'on thefence. The hooks 14 are then passed loosely through the brackets 13, andon turnin the crank 32, the chain 18 will be woun up. The first effectof themovement will be to 1 draw the clamping bars toward each other andfirmly grip the fence between such bars,

and this clamping action increases inforce as the tensional strainexerted on the fence increases.

I Should the, upper ortion of the fence be stretched more tlght y thanthe lower por- .of the upper end of the draft frame and con-' clam s,

- there 'is'some mg extended-to formoperatinghandles in the preliminaryclamping offthe'fence, a hook arexercising a cam-like action thereon todraw the clamping bars together, a central draft s are connected,

tion, orvice versa, owing to slight slipping 0f the clamps or failure tocorrectly position them, eit er one or both of the turn buckles memberto which the hook and means for adjusting the distance between '30 thehooks and draft member to maintain uniform stress on both sets ofbrackets.

2. A clamp for use in connection with fence stretching machines, saidclamp com prising a pair of angle bars,. one angle-bar aving hooks andthe other With eyes to form areadily detachable hinged connection,brackets having-their inner "en'ds-rigidlysecured to the angle bars andextending rear Wardly therefrom to -form operating handle s in thepreliminary closing of theclamp upon; the fence.- W q In testimonythatWe claim t-hfo re oing as our own, We have hereto affixed: our gi'latures in the presence of twowitnesses; r

ROBERT KIRKWOOD. 'JOH1 IV V KIMBERLINGZ, Witnesses. v

D. BURNEL l ,LEVI L. THOMAS.

When the fence is under severe strain, danger. of lateral displacementof the draft frame, and to prevent this, stay chains or ropes 35 may beemployed, these chains being connected to the opposite, sides nected toany suitable anchor, such for instance as (stakes embedded in theground.

It Willlbe seen that the fence is firmly clamped between the angle bars,the fence being bent at two points so that it will, be firmlyl'ocked. I..e claimg 1. Ina fence stretching machine a pair of loosely hingedseparable an le bars-forming ,abrackets having t eir inner" ends rigid ysecured-to said bars, the brackets beranged to engage'each pair ofbrackets and

